The objectives of this Cancer Research Emphasis Grant are to characterize biochemical and intracellular activities of new anticancer drugs and to provide information that would optimize the clinical use of these drugs or their analogs. To accomplish this goal, we have selected four compounds from the most recent list of drugs provided by the Division of Cancer Treatment: "Drugs of Interest for action of ICRF-159 (NSC-169780), vindesine (NSC-245467), spirogermanium (NSC-192965) and the hydroxy compound from Bouvardia ternifolia (NSC-259968). Methods developed for the study of antitumor agents and currently in use in this laboratory will allow us to investigate the effects of the new drugs on a) growth and viability of synchronized and non-synchronized HeLa cells, b) nucleic acid synthesis, c) protein synthesis, d) degradation of DNA, e) microtubule assembly in vitro, f) nucleoside and amino acid transport and g) cell morphology. The interaction of these new drugs with DNA and metals will also be studied.